Ragone, of Maryland Avenue, served more than 16 years in prison for the rape and sodomy of a woman in Saratoga County in 1983. He was hired by the home in 2008, the same year he came off parole.

Ragone was arrested on Dec. 20 by Colonie police after he was accused of inappropriately touching the elderly victim in her room. Michael Levine, the owner of the adult home at 298 Albany Shaker Road, said Ragone was fired immediately after an employee who witnessed the incident notified home officials.

Levine acknowledged, in an interview last month, that he did not know Ragone was a convicted rapist when the registered sex offender was hired. Melissa Brown, an administrator at the home, was dismissed on Jan. 5 for what the home described as "failing to exercise appropriate judgment stemming from incidents involving the safety and welfare of our residents."

Though Ragone later admitted the crime to Colonie investigators, he initially begged an eyewitness to keep quiet, court papers show.

On Wednesday, Lynch asked Ragone if he had sexual contact with a person who was physically helpless, a reference to the 91-year-old victim.